Detailed color tattoo of ornamental scrollwork and a geometric star pattern along a client's side and ribs

Tattoo Stories,
Guides & Artist Insights.

An editorial archive from the floor of Ink & Dagger — tattoo education, artist features, client stories, and creative inspiration. Read by collectors and first-timers alike.

October Oddities 2026: A Spooktacular Day at Ink & Dagger
October Oddities 2026: A Spooktacular Day at Ink & Dagger
On October 17, Ink & Dagger Tattoo welcomed tattoo collectors, local vendors, and Halloween enthusiasts for our first October Oddities event! With spooky flash designs, local makers, and plenty of...
Kaity Loper: A Whole Lot of Heart
Kaity Loper: A Whole Lot of Heart
Client of the Month: Kaity Loper Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. Kaity Loper decided to dedicate an entire leg to hers. For October's Client of the Month,...
Meet Brian French: Ink & Dagger's New Resident Artist
Meet Brian French: Ink & Dagger's New Resident Artist
From Guest Artist to Resident: Welcome Brian French to Ink & Dagger! After two successful guest spots, we're excited to announce that Brian French is officially joining the Ink &...
Shawn Boudreaux: A Walk on the Wild Side
Shawn Boudreaux: A Walk on the Wild Side
Client of the Month: Shawn Boudreaux What started with a One Shot Wall wizard quickly turned into an entire collection of animals, medieval imagery, and tattoos filled with personal meaning....
Meet Taylor Helman: Ink & Dagger’s Newest Resident Artist
Meet Taylor Helman: Ink & Dagger’s Newest Resident Artist
What started with henna, a persistent group of friends, and one very unexpected apprenticeship has brought tattoo artist Taylor Helman from Ontario, Canada, all the way to Roswell, Georgia. Now joining...
Mythology in the Making: Two Full Sleeves, One Epic Story
Mythology in the Making: Two Full Sleeves, One Epic Story
What started with a single idea for a Medusa tattoo eventually became something much bigger: two full black-and-grey realism sleeves inspired by the mythology, history, and imagery of ancient civilizations.For...
Liam Connolly: Classic Ink, Modern Collector
Liam Connolly: Classic Ink, Modern Collector
Liam Connolly - Client of the Month For some collectors, every tattoo is planned years in advance. For others, the best pieces come from trusting the process and allowing the...
Brian French Brings Bold Color Realism to Ink & Dagger — And He’s Coming Back!
Brian French Brings Bold Color Realism to Ink & Dagger — And He’s Coming Back!
Ink & Dagger had the pleasure of welcoming color realism tattoo artist Brian French for his first guest spot at the studio. During his week with us, Brian stayed busy...
Chad Barker: A Story That Evolves
Chad Barker: A Story That Evolves
Chad Barker - Client of the Month: For May’s Client of the Month, we talk with Chad Barker, who’s sleeve became a deeply personal collaboration between him and tattoo artist...
One Shot Wall 2026: Our Biggest One Yet!
One Shot Wall 2026: Our Biggest One Yet!
This year’s One Shot Wall brought together artists, collectors, friends, vendors, and tattoo lovers from all over for one of the biggest events we’ve ever hosted at Ink & Dagger...
Like Father, Like Sleeve: Getting Tattooed by Russ Abbott
Like Father, Like Sleeve: Getting Tattooed by Russ Abbott
For most people, a first tattoo is a milestone. For Jonah Abbott, it was something more: a deeply personal rite of passage, and a way to carry a piece of...
Jenna Eddy-Loving: Ink, Identity, & Family Tradition
Jenna Eddy-Loving: Ink, Identity, & Family Tradition
Jenna Eddy-Loving Client of the Month: This client has built a collection that spans styles, subjects, and meaningful moments in her life. From sentimental tributes to family traditions, every piece...
Urban Astronauts: Space & Time Themed Sleeve Concepts from David “Stani” Stanforth
Urban Astronauts: Space & Time Themed Sleeve Concepts from David “Stani” Stanforth
Urban Astronauts is a cinematic collection of black and grey sleeves featuring a sole astronaut weightlessly floating above various modern cityscapes. It is surreal, modern, and deeply introspective. By blending...
Sacred Realism: Religious Sleeve Concepts from David “Stani” Stanforth
Sacred Realism: Religious Sleeve Concepts from David “Stani” Stanforth
Known for his mastery of black and grey realism, David “Stani” Stanforth brings classical religious iconography into a modern tattoo format through these deeply symbolic outer sleeve concepts. Each design...
Mark Kalinskiy: For the Bold Minimalist
Mark Kalinskiy: For the Bold Minimalist
Modern black and gray with a strong backbone. Mark Kalinskiy blends American, European, and Japanese traditional foundations with crisp linework and stippled shading that feels subtle but hits hard.
Rob Phillips: Joining the Circus
Rob Phillips: Joining the Circus
Rob Phillips Client of the Month: Circus themes, traditional frames, and a client who came ready to commit. Rob Phillips’ leg sleeve with Craig Brock is a project we won’t...
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THE TEAM

A hive of creativity.

Housing as many as 15 resident artists and a flow of talented guest artists, Ink & Dagger is a hive of creativity. We host regular "Art Nights" to sharpen our skills and share creative methods. Every individual, from our artists to our support team, led by the incredible Harrison Knolle, plays a pivotal role in ensuring our studio is a beacon of artistry and impeccable service.
Amber Grey

Amber Grey

Blackwork, Ornamental, Floral, Fine Line

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Brian Bennett

Brian Bennett

Illustrative, Japanese, Traditional, Neo-traditional, Cartoon, Pop Culture

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Brian French

Brian French

Color Realism, Black & Grey Realism, Illustrative

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Bryn Riihimaki

Bryn Riihimaki

Traditional, Color Traditional, Minimalism, Small Tattoos, Lettering, Blackwork

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Cortney Norton

Cortney Norton

Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Ornamental

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Craig Brock

Craig Brock

Illustrative, Ornamental, Black & Gray, Traditional, Neo-traditional, Color Traditional, Japanese

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David Irizarry (Izzy)

David Irizarry (Izzy)

Illustrative, Realism, Color Realism, Black & Gray Realism, Large-Scale

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David “Stani” Staniforth

David “Stani” Staniforth

Black & Gray, Realism, Black & Gray Realism, Large-Scale

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Lilith Jacobs

Lilith Jacobs

Neo-traditional, Traditional, Black & Gray, Black & Gray Traditional, Color Traditional

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Mark Kalinskiy

Mark Kalinskiy

Illustrative, Fine Line, Blackwork, Traditional

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Matt Perlman

Matt Perlman

Horror Black & Gray, Realism, Black & Gray Realism, Illustrative

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Mel Perlman

Mel Perlman

Illustrative, Blackwork, Pop Culture, Floral

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Michel Parisay

Michel Parisay

Black & Gray Traditional, Color Traditional, Traditional

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Robert Beeman

Robert Beeman

Black & Gray Realism, Large-Scale

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Russ Abbott

Russ Abbott

Large-Scale, Ornamental, Illustrative

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Taylor Helman

Taylor Helman

Fine Line, Black & Gray, Realism, Microrealism, Minimalism, Floral

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What our clients say

The staff and artists here are incredibly friendly and professional, and really make an effort to make sure clients have a great experience.
Starting with my consultation, I walked in with a simple concept, and Stani really took the time to discuss my idea, and he came up with an initial design, completely transforming it into a beautiful realism piece.
Stani is an incredible artist, and I highly recommend him if you are looking for a black and grey realism tattoo. Thank you, Stani and everyone at Ink & Dagger for an awesome experience!

Deanna Lenore

I have been tattooed many times at Ink and Dagger and I highly recommend this location. I have been getting tattooed by Mel Perlman for the past year, and it's been such an amazing experience that I already have 5 of her tattoos. Three of her fabulous flash and two custom tattoos. She is currently designing a sleeve that flows through the four seasons. She did part 1 recently and completely knocked it out of the park. I couldn't be happier. I highly recommend checking out her flash or inquiring about a custom tattoo. Not only is she a great artist, she is a wonderful person to chat with while you are getting your tattoo!

Elizabeth Williams

I have now gotten three pieces done at this shop by the incredible Lilith Jacobs. All three have turned out incredible and I cannot say enough good things about Lilith. She is an absolute artist and if you want a piece, I highly recommend her.
The staff as a whole, from the front desk to the management to the other artists are a joy to interact with. The decor is amazing and feels like a space where artists are free to be themselves. Make sure you schedule for when they're playing the entire Shrek 2 soundtrack for extra special ambiance.

Eamon Frawley

Mel did a brilliant job on my cover up!! You would never expect there to be a tattoo under this one. The detail is gorgeous. I am beyond thrilled!!

Mel was very easy to discuss ideas with. She sent the initial design a week before my appointment. I really appreciated the time to think about it and make adjustments before our session.

The salon was clean and welcoming.
I loved the vibe.

Alice Wunderlund

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